Scope Mounting Advice

[Carl]

I’ll be mounting 2 scopes (on 2 Tikka T3 Lite rifles).  So, first I’ll assume the rings that come with the rifles are fine to use. 

My experience at mounting a scope consists of mounting one on my Winchester Model 70, 35 years ago.

Would it be advisable to get a scope mounting kit, such as the Weaver Deluxe scope mounting kit, just use levels and guess at the screw torque, or have a gunsmith mount them?

Thanks in advance for the advice,
Carl
 

[JimmyHoffa]

What kind of accuracy/shooting are you looking for?
I've seen many that work just fine being swapped out in a garage with normal tools.  The professional kits seem to be for the BR shooters that are trying to analyze random harmonics/stresses while shooting many rounds and maintaing precision.  I'd say it is more accurate to use the kit, just have to determine if the extra accuracy is worth buying the kit.

[Carl]

This will be my "all around" rifle.  I plan on hunting yotes until deer season.  And I will probably stay within 200-300 yards max.

No 600 yard shots!

[jamesjett]

I just set up a DNZ on my Winchester Model 70 7MAG.  It works well for the long action.  The one piece mount is offset to the left.  No need for lapping.  Bought from SWFA.  http://swfa.com/Winchester-C2623.aspx

[Rick]

You're thinking about this too much. Mounting a scope is only as difficult as you want to make it.

[Carl]

Thanks Gents. I'll take the straight forward approach and if it's not good, I'll kick it up!

[addicted]

Many options are good options, but having someone else do it is well..... weak. It's a simple thing that can take only 10 minutes.

As far as a scope mounting kit,

Lapping bar/compound- unless you have very poorly made rings the lapping isnt usually "necessary" except for possible magnum recoil sliding. It may be important to you if you like to keep minimal gouges in your scope tube's finish for futer mounting in different set ups.

Torque driver- very usefull and reduces the amount of stripped bolts

level-level-level-- possible to get the scope level without it but it does make it very fast and easy. 

There are several brands that claim "no lapping necessary" and it is probably true in many cases, but even with some of these I have been very happy to have a lapping kit because "no lapping necessary" wasn't nearly good enough. I can see the DNZ mounts being better though because of the fairly unique construction that appears to have both ring slots cut by the same machine at the same angle as well as eliminating the possibility of imperfections in the action causing ring twist.

I have a weaver deluxe mounting kit and I do enjoy it except for one thing..... the weak bits.

[rtspring]

We had a saying in the NAVY.

KISS
K-keep
I-it
S-simple
S-stupid

Never did anything other than buy quality rings, slap the scope on tighten down the screws. Then bang away, check the scope from time to time to make sure it is seated properly....

[jeepasaurusrex]

One thing that is never covered in many articles about mounting a scope, is centering the reticle on the scope. You need to use a box (shoe box works) with a V cut into each side. Set the box on a table and set the scope in the V notch. Look though the scope and adjust your box so the cross hairs are on a single point (door knob works well). Rotate the scope in the V while watching the cross hairs. If you see the cross hairs make a circle off of the point your looking at, you need to adjust the elevation and windage settings so that when you rotate the scope, the aim point of the cross hairs does not move, but rotates on a single point. Then you know your scope settings are zeroed out and then you can mount the scope on the rifle.

[Ice Cap]

One thing that is never covered in many articles about mounting a scope, is centering the reticle on the scope. You need to use a box (shoe box works) with a V cut into each side. Set the box on a table and set the scope in the V notch. Look though the scope and adjust your box so the cross hairs are on a single point (door knob works well). Rotate the scope in the V while watching the cross hairs. If you see the cross hairs make a circle off of the point your looking at, you need to adjust the elevation and windage settings so that when you rotate the scope, the aim point of the cross hairs does not move, but rotates on a single point. Then you know your scope settings are zeroed out and then you can mount the scope on the rifle.

Question for you.
Is this step really necessary?
Once you mount your scope and sight the gun in, isn't the reticle going to end up where it needs to be no matter if you zeroed the reticle or not?

[Carl]

Thanks again for the tips.  Are the rings that come with the Tikka T3 Lite, good rings?  From what I've read, they are.

I’m a “do it myself” guy, so I will mount the scopes myself (one for a friend), I just threw the gunsmith in as an option.  Like I said, it’s been about 35 years since I last put a scope on a rifle. And, yes, it worked quite well.

For the record, I bought a Zeiss Conquest 3-9 40mm.

Thanks again and I’ll post the results.

Carl

[Ice Cap]

Carl,

What caliber are the rifles?
I have seen the Tikka rings fail miserably after less than 10 rounds on a 300 win mag!

[Eli346]

 I agree with Icecap; the rings are not the best. I put Leupold rings on mine to mount my Nikon on my 300 WSM. I'm glad I did. Been on a lot of hunts and taken alot of animals and it still shoots where I point it.

[jeepasaurusrex]

One thing that is never covered in many articles about mounting a scope, is centering the reticle on the scope. You need to use a box (shoe box works) with a V cut into each side. Set the box on a table and set the scope in the V notch. Look though the scope and adjust your box so the cross hairs are on a single point (door knob works well). Rotate the scope in the V while watching the cross hairs. If you see the cross hairs make a circle off of the point your looking at, you need to adjust the elevation and windage settings so that when you rotate the scope, the aim point of the cross hairs does not move, but rotates on a single point. Then you know your scope settings are zeroed out and then you can mount the scope on the rifle.

Question for you.
Is this step really necessary?
Once you mount your scope and sight the gun in, isn't the reticle going to end up where it needs to be no matter if you zeroed the reticle or not?

Yes.  If you mount a scope that has the windage and elevation knobs cranked one way or the other, you may not have enough adjustment one way. Doing this ensures that the scope is zero'd out and can be adjusted any direction. A lot of scope rigs offer windage adjustment at the base. If you install a zeroed scope, and bore sight the rifle using the adjustment on the rings, you will have full adjustment available.

This process is important because it helps you make sure your scope to bore alinement is correct. There are a number of things that can mess up proper alignment like receiver issues, base misalignment caused from improperly drilled holes, crooked bases or rings, etc. knowing the proper starting point is important to making sure you are setup correctly in the end.

[Ice Cap]

 I have never seen an adjustable scope base.
 Now it makes sense!

[Wacenturion]

I just set up a DNZ on my Winchester Model 70 7MAG.  It works well for the long action.  The one piece mount is offset to the left.  No need for lapping.  Bought from SWFA.  http://swfa.com/Winchester-C2623.aspx

All I use.  Great mounts.

[addicted]

One thing that is never covered in many articles about mounting a scope, is centering the reticle on the scope. You need to use a box (shoe box works) with a V cut into each side. Set the box on a table and set the scope in the V notch. Look though the scope and adjust your box so the cross hairs are on a single point (door knob works well). Rotate the scope in the V while watching the cross hairs. If you see the cross hairs make a circle off of the point your looking at, you need to adjust the elevation and windage settings so that when you rotate the scope, the aim point of the cross hairs does not move, but rotates on a single point. Then you know your scope settings are zeroed out and then you can mount the scope on the rifle.

Question for you.
Is this step really necessary?
Once you mount your scope and sight the gun in, isn't the reticle going to end up where it needs to be no matter if you zeroed the reticle or not?

Yes.  If you mount a scope that has the windage and elevation knobs cranked one way or the other, you may not have enough adjustment one way. Doing this ensures that the scope is zero'd out and can be adjusted any direction. A lot of scope rigs offer windage adjustment at the base. If you install a zeroed scope, and bore sight the rifle using the adjustment on the rings, you will have full adjustment available.

This process is important because it helps you make sure your scope to bore alinement is correct. There are a number of things that can mess up proper alignment like receiver issues, base misalignment caused from improperly drilled holes, crooked bases or rings, etc. knowing the proper starting point is important to making sure you are setup correctly in the end.

Give you full adjustment? not really.  Keep you from grounding out the internal tube in the first few clicks(possibly damaging the scope)?? Yup yup.

You can also re center the internal tube by placing the front of the scope against a mirror. when you look through the scope there will be 2 reticles. line them up and centered.

That is another reason schmidt & Benders rock. They have an indicator built into the turrets that show you how far your internal tube is from grounding out.

[Carl]

My rifle is a .308.  So now I'm thinking about Leupold rings.  I haven't shopped for those yet - are they all created equal or do you have a suggestion?

I really appreciate all the input,
Carl

[bobcat]

I think I would go with the Talley lightweight mounts for that rifle.

[JimmyHoffa]

My rifle is a .308.  So now I'm thinking about Leupold rings.  I haven't shopped for those yet - are they all created equal or do you have a suggestion?

I really appreciate all the input,
Carl

I like the dual dovetails by leupold.  Also like the quick release. 

[MadHatter]

I actually went a step further and bedded all of my scope mounting hardware, including the picatinny base, and rings.  Everything is rock solid on my rifle, and using release agent its all removable as well. 

This has to be about the best videos I have seen, I used similar techniques, but I actually used Marine-Tex as the bedding compound instead of regular epoxy.  The post on longrangehunting has all the videos for the entire process.  He uses a Weatherby Vanguard, but would be the same process for a Rem 700.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f94/videos-bedding-bases-rings-new-method-scope-leveling-75543/

As for rings and base, I am a big fan of weaver personally.  I have a weaver 20MOA Tactical extended picatinny base and weaver quad lock rings. 

http://swfa.com/Product4.aspx?ProductId=46497 - Base
http://swfa.com/Product4.aspx?ProductId=10444 - Rings

[Deep Forks]

My rifle is a .308.  So now I'm thinking about Leupold rings.  I haven't shopped for those yet - are they all created equal or do you have a suggestion?

I really appreciate all the input,
Carl

I like the dual dovetails by leupold.  Also like the quick release.

   The leupy dual dovetails rock.  

[high country]

I think the dual dovetails are garbage. Here is why...

 

That is after a break on the lapping bar. I suggest lapping and breaking the edge with a stone to reduce ring bite.

This is how I level a reticle.....it is beyond simple and very effective. I use a precision ground bar and a starrett level. I like the starrett because i can see through it. Level the action, look through the scope at a plumb line....lone up the vert wire....easy as pie.

 

[Bofire]

I own several Tikkas, including 300wsm, I know many who own them. ALL of us use stock Tikka rings, have for many years and have NO, ZERO, troubles. Mount the scope in the Tikka rings and go kill things. Enjoy out shooting your friends with rifles that cost much more and they screw around with and reload expermenting for months, you can use cheap blue box federals and blow them all away. Be nice and do not gloat, too much. The best thing is carry around a tikka for a few days, they are sweet, easy to keep in your hands, light and handy.
Carl

[Carl]

Thanks Carl.

Carl